


It's Complicated

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Forever (TV 2014), Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24274123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: When Reese buys Finch a present from Abe's Antiques he doesn't expect what will happen afterwards.
Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese, Harold Finch/John Reese/Henry Morgan
Comments: 12
Kudos: 23
Collections: Exchange of Interest 2020





	It's Complicated

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArgylePirateWD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgylePirateWD/gifts).



> Many thanks to my beta, who pointed out that it would be helpful if the idea was on the page and not just in my head.

Reese wandered into the antique shop and looked vaguely around.

An elderly man came over. “Can I help you?”

“I was looking for a present,” Reese replied. He waved his arm in the general direction of the display. “Um, for a friend.”

The old man nodded. “What sort of friend is this? And, the all-important question, how much do you want to pay?”

Reese was affronted. “I can afford to buy something.”

“I don’t doubt it. But I’d hate to make suggestions for various items when you had originally intended spending more. That wouldn’t be good business practice.”

Reese laughed. “Fair enough.” He named a price and added, “My friend would prefer something small rather than showy.”

“Of course, quality over quantity. How about something like this?”

The shopkeeper showed him various suitable items, and Reese left, very satisfied with his purchase.

###

Finch had been delighted with the present and had persuaded Reese to show him the shop as he wanted to see it for himself. However, a spate of numbers had so far delayed the visit. 

They finally had some time to themselves, and Finch had mentioned the possibility of visiting the shop that afternoon when another number came in. He looked at the details and then said, “This is odd. It’s a number but not in the usual way.”

“Do you have a location?” Reese asked.

“Yes.” Finch read out the co-ordinates.

“That’s right by the antique shop. Do you want to take a trip out there? If nothing comes of it, we can have a look in the shop while we’re there.”

“Why not? I have no idea what we’re going to find, but at least it won’t be a wasted trip.”

As Reese drew up, they saw two gunmen running off. “We’re too late,” he muttered in disgust. “Why wasn’t the machine more precise? We could have been on time.”

Finch was looking at his phone in puzzlement. “If anything, Mr Reese, I’d say we were too early,” he said. “I’d suggest we find somewhere to sit and wait.”

“We’ll have to if you want to look in the shop,” Reese said. “The owner’s just come out and locked the door. Do you want to follow him?”

“No, we wait here.”

Reese stretched out and shut his eyes. He wouldn’t normally do this, but he was slowly coming to accept that taking a break during an operation, when Finch was with him, was something he could do. He knew Finch would remain alert, trying to puzzle out the latest conundrum.

After about forty minutes, Finch said, “The car’s coming back.”

Reese watched as the shop owner parked, got out of the car and walked round to the side of the building. Shortly afterwards, a younger man, apparently just wearing a towel, left the car and scurried after him.

“What do we do now?” Reese asked.

“I think we go and have a look through the shop windows,” Finch replied. “If the owner is as astute as you said he was, I imagine he will come and open up, not wishing to lose a potential sale. If he doesn’t then we can assume there are problems somewhere and take more direct action.”

Finch and Reese wandered over to the shop. They hadn’t been standing outside for long when, as Finch had predicted, the owner came and opened the door.

“Good afternoon,” Finch said as he walked in. “I presume you are the Abe of Abe’s Antiques?”

“Abe Morgan, yes. How can I help you?” Then turning to Reese, he said, “Nice to see you again, sir. Is this the gentleman you were buying the present for?”

“I am indeed,” Finch replied. “Which is why we’re here today. I was wondering if you had any Georgian silverware for sale.”

“We have a few pieces. Would you like to come and see them?”

Finch followed Abe to one of the far corners of the shop, leaving Reese to look around and possibly pick up clues as to their strange new number.

A few minutes later, the younger man, now respectably dressed, came in. “Abe, have you seen my bag?” he called before stopping when he realised there were others in the shop.

Abe looked up. “No, I think the gunmen must have got it.”

“Damn, that means they’ll definitely be back.”

Reese glanced over at Finch, who was listening intensely. Finch gave a small nod.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” he asked.

“Thank you, but no. It’s a bit complicated.”

“We specialise in complicated,” Finch said, walking towards them.

The man shook his head wryly. “Not this complicated,” he said. Then he narrowed his eyes. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

“This gentleman,” Abe indicated Reese, “bought something the other week.”

The man was about to say something more when Finch said, “I remember you. A few weeks ago. Next to a grocery store. But that’s impossible.”

Reese nodded. “You were shot.”

“You must be mistaken.”

“No.” Finch spoke firmly. “You were shot and killed. And yet you are very clearly still here. And we’ve been sent to meet you.”

“Sent? By whom?”

“As you said, it’s complicated. Is there anywhere we can go to discuss this?”

The man looked dubious, but said, “You’d better come in the back.”

“Thank you,” Finch said. 

###

A few days later, Abe said, “I’ve had a call from Mr Finch. He’s asked about the gravy boat I showed him the other day. I said I’d take it over to him this afternoon.”

“I can do that for you,” Henry said eagerly.

Abe looked at him with surprise. “It’s not like you to want to be involved with stock delivery.”

“I’ve got to go that way, anyway, so I might as well drop it off for you.”

“If you say so.”

Henry ignored Abe’s dubious tone. He took the package containing the gravy boat and departed with a smile. During the conversation he had had with the two visitors that evening, he had realised how much he felt attracted to Harold Finch. It wasn’t just the immaculately tailored suit and breadth of knowledge that had spoken to him. Harold had seemed to understand him in a way few did, and no-one before had ever done quite so quickly. And he sensed that Harold had felt something for him too, although he couldn’t be certain quite what. He was keen to explore the possibility of getting to know Harold better, and the delivery of the gravy boat was the perfect opportunity.

On arriving at the address which had been provided, Henry entered the building. He was about to look around to find someone to tell he’d arrived when John Reese greeted him.

“Come this way,” Reese said.

Reese led them into an elevator which carried them up to what Henry guessed was the top floor – Reese was standing in front of the buttons. The elevator door opened, and Reese showed him into a large apartment.

Henry saw Harold sitting on a sofa at the far end of the room. Henry smiled and walked towards him saying, “I’ve brought the gravy boat you asked Abe for.”

“Thank you. Abe mentioned there was a story attached to the gravy boat which you had told him about. I’d be curious to hear it.”

Henry took a seat nearby, delighted to have an opportunity to stay and talk with Harold. His pleasure was slightly dimmed when Reese came over and sat on the sofa close to Harold. He told his story and then stood up, ready to leave.

“Going so soon?” Reese asked.

“I don’t want to disturb you.”

Harold and Reese moved down the sofa slightly, so there was space beside Harold.

“You’d be welcome to join us,” Harold said. “If you’d like to.”

“Oh, um, I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Neither have we,” Harold replied. “But if there’s one thing we have learnt, it’s to always be open to new possibilities.”


End file.
